USC OS/OT Student Blog

New beginnings

2013-05-16T21:39:00Z

I can’t believe that I’m writing my last blog. I am graduating tomorrow.

Is this real life? Yes, I tell myself that it is really happening. I’ll be graduating from USC once again, but now, for my Master’s. It seems like yesterday that I was in undergrad, not completely sure what I wanted to do with my life.

I have found a profession that I’m excited to be a part of and that I know I could empower others while empowering myself.

This year has gone by so fast, and as I’m reflecting on the year, I’m actually feeling a bit sad. I have met so many great and genuine people, and I truly believe that in the OT program, I get to interact with those people everyday. I love my professors, I love my classmates, I love my co-workers, I love my friends I love my dogs. What more could I ask for?

I will miss leading tours for prospective students. I will miss the foods and snacks that my classmates bring in to share. I will miss yoga on the lawn during lunch hours. I will miss group projects. I will miss listening and talking to classmates. I will miss the compassion of the people in the program.

But I know those memories don’t have to end as we walk off the graduation stage. We can continue to check in with each other. We have various ways to do that, thanks to social media (I’m still a fan of snail mails). We have created a network of the Trojan family for life, and for that, I am grateful.

With every ending has a new beginning.

Monday I’ll start my last level-II fieldwork at the Veteran’s Hospital for 12 weeks. I’ll be working with people with traumatic brain injury. I’ll be pursuing my clinical doctorate degree in the fall and starting my residency at USC University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in pediatric mental health. I’m super excited about that as well. Although I don’t have a lot of experience with children, I’m ready to learn. So I’ll be keeping myself busy in the summer and starting to study for the NBCOT exam. Come fall I’ll be a licensed occupational therapist! Woohoo!

Looking back

2013-05-03T19:28:17Z

I cannot believe nearly two years ago, I was walking the halls of USC for the very first time. Then I was nervous, will they like me? I hoped I’d made the right decision with USC. And I hoped above all else that Occupational Therapy was the career path for me.

Fast forward two years and I could not feel more confident I chose the right school and right profession, and I also made some friends along the way!

Last week at AOTA Conference, it was like prom. It was the final weekend with peers I’ve grown to love and professionals I respect. I felt empowered and excited, exactly what I need as I transition to the real world.

USC has been such a blessing. The program, the faculty, the students, everything has come together to create an ideal learning experience for me. This is my final post as an OSOT Ambassador. One of the highlights of my time at USC has been this job. It has been as fundamental to my OT education as quantitative research and clinical reasoning. Working for the Division, I’ve been able to get to know the professors better and grow confident talking about OT to all people. I see OT in everything and do not hesitate promoting our profession to any one who will listen. I will treasure this experience for the rest of my life.

I’ve talked a lot about being from Texas, and naturally I’m full of Texas pride. When I chose to attend USC, you can imagine I got a little pushback from Texans, and I too was hesitant to embrace the notion of being ‘a part of the Trojan family.’

Not anymore. I’m so proud to be a Texan AND a Trojan. Go USCOT! and Fight on!

Conference and pageant

2013-05-01T20:58:00Z

Yes, I made it to my last class as a Master’s student! In Lifestyle Redesign class today, I facilitated my healthy eating group on the topic of superfoods. I hope to work in health and wellness in the future, perhaps owning my own business and implementing Lifestyle Redesign concepts into my practice. I learned a lot from the group members and added to my OT toolbox. I few more hurdles to jump before I graduate. I can’t believe it.

I’ve never felt more tired and sleep deprived until this week. Grad school isn’t easy, but it’s manageable. This past weekend I attended the American Occupational Therapy Association Conference in San Diego. This was my second conference I attended. One perk about attending USC OT Program is that the division sponsors a number of students to attend these conferences, and I was fortunate enough to be one of the students chosen to attend! I realize how small and big the OT community is. I ran into my past supervisor and met my future supervisors there. I also ran into a student from Samuel Merritt University who presented a poster on oncology there as well. I remember hanging out with her last year at the conference in Indianapolis. I also saw a student from CAL State Domiguez Hills who did fieldwork at the same place as me last summer. That’s not it. I also ran into a prospective OT student whom I had given a tour to earlier in the semester. The conference is open to everyone!

I also met new people as well…in the jacuzzi. I met three wonderful USC Ph.D graduates, who now hold faculty positions at universities across the U.S. One of them in particular, Dr. Pollie Price from Utah, co-authored one of my favorite articles that I’ve read! I remember reading the article Mother Becoming: Learning to Read Mikala’s Signs by Pollie Price and Stephanie Miner in my clinical reasoning class last year and how I really enjoyed it. A lot of the articles and books that we read in class also come from our very own USC faculty, so I feel that I’m very fortunate to have picked the best school to go to.

I was sad that I had to miss the Alumni Reception at the Conference because I had to come back early and prepare for Miss Thai New Year Pageant. I volunteered to help out the temple by participating in the pageant. This was my second pageant (the first one I had done last year just for the heck of it). I ended up helping the temple raise close to $1,000 by selling balloons at the event. The total amount raised by all of the participants were close to $2,000. It was amazing to know that there was so much support and joy at the event. There was also a talent show portion that I was very surprised to have gotten second place for singing Tian Mi Mi, a classic Chinese song. The last portion of the pageant was to dress in a Thai traditional dress and pose. How hard could that be right? It was actually a pain to figure out how to best wear the traditional dress, but without the support from family, friends and strangers, I wouldn’t have survived the event. I ended up getting dehydration and a headache that lasted two days afterwards, but to know that I’ve helped a great cause in raising money for the temple, I am grateful.

Final Post!

2013-04-29T17:32:26Z

After an action-packed year serving as a student ambassador for this wonderful Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, I am excited to say that today is my last day! I came into the office this morning happily exhausted from spending the past five days in San Diego at the AOTA Annual Conference. Over 200 individuals from USC OT traveled to the conference to learn, network, and celebrate our wonderful profession. It was an impressive turnout, contributing to this being the 2nd largest AOTA conference in history! There was so much to see and do that at many times it felt overwhelming. The sheer number of educational sessions provided something for everyone in every practice area. The networking opportunities were fantastic, and the addresses were inspiring. The keynote speaker this year was Aaron Ralston, the adventurer who amputated his own arm to free himself from entrapment in a remote canyon in Utah. He was introduced by his OT, who spoke about her treatment of this unique case. When Mr. Ralston came to the stage, he said that he truly loved occupational therapy and unveiled a USC OT pin which he wore throughout his speech! It was very special to be present for our own Dr. Florence Clark’s farewell address as AOTA President, and to feel the pride of hundreds of Trojans at the USC Alumni Party.

Although I am continuing on at USC to pursue a doctoral degree, I still feel that this moment is an enormous milestone. This is my last week of classes, and I have a major project due in each one. Finishing up these tasks will keep me very busy this week. Then, this weekend I will immerse myself fully in studying for our comprehensive exam, which covers the foundational coursework from the entire program. After Monday’s comprehensive exam, I will gear up for my last final examination on Thursday and our Division’s end of the year celebration on Friday. I have spearheaded the planning of this celebration, which will take place on a privately chartered boat in Long Beach. After the boat celebration, I will spend a long weekend away in beautiful Ojai with special friends I have made in the program that are moving away right after graduation. I will return from Ojai just in time for my family to arrive from Northern California. I graduate with my wonderful class on Friday, May 17th, and start fieldwork thw following Monday.

It has been wonderful holding this position over the past year, and I feel grateful for all the wonderful people I have met and the opportunities I have been given. To everyone that has read this blog, thank you for your support!

Your student ambassador Amber signing off!

Am I ready?

2013-04-24T21:13:47Z

Last week while busily adding my part to crazy long study guide for our comprehensive exam in two weeks, it dawned on me: I’m graduating from OT school next month.

After having to take a series of deep breaths to get my heart rate back to normal I asked myself, am I ready to be an Occupational Therapist?

Good thing I was working the OT booth at the LA Times Festival of Books the next day or I may have spent my weekend submerged in graduation themed anxiety. At the booth we had several different stations: Sensory Integration, Lifestyle Redesign, Low Vision, and Stress Management. Each of us was so busy unpacking supplies, it felt it was a matter of minutes before people started arriving asking us questions about stress, relaxation, anxiety, depression, the list goes on and on.

Here I surprised myself again, I was able to answer their questions! Not just that but I felt confident in what I was saying, that what I was telling them was based on research and facts and information I’d learned in OT school.

Suffice to say, I slept easier that night with the faith in myself that not only am I ready to graduate with my Master’s in Occupational Therapy, but that I am well informed and prepared to be an effective, insightful therapist.

Swim With Mike

2013-04-23T22:31:57Z

Earlier in the month, I joined a group of fellow OT students in participating in Swim With Mike (SWM), an annual swim-a-thon held on the USC campus to raise funds for the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund. SWM began in 1981 at USC to raise funds for an adequately equipped van for Mike Nyeholt, a three-time All-American swimmer who was paralyzed from a motorcycle accident he had survived earlier in the year. Greatly moved by the generosity and enthusiastic support of his teammates and friends, Mike used the excess funds to create the scholarship fund at USC and it has now grown to support students across the nation. I encourage you to read more about the history of this great event here.

Growing up as a swimmer, I have had ample opportunity to participate in swim-a-thons but I have never experienced one quite like SWM. Because this was the 33rd year that the event was held at USC, there was a certain challenge suggested among the OT and PT students and faculty to form relay teams and have a representative swim for 33 consecutive hours. The turnout for our group was great, with a consistent flow of OT students, friends and supporters. We also had a lane designated right next to our PT friends so that made for good company in the odd hours of the evening/morning. I swam from 4AM-6AM and was so taken by the number of swimmers in the water, and happy to be there! There was a little boy, maybe 10 years old, who was so excited to jump in and start a swim set—it was only 4:30AM! The rest of the participants and volunteers started trickling in to set up for opening ceremonies and welcomes (for the people who swam at normal hours) ;] and it was so exciting to see how involved and enthusiastic everyone was for the event. The entire USC swim team was there right as I left, ready for their SWM practice. The sense of community was so strong throughout the event and I feel that this event is something which I will remain close to in my years as Trojan alum. Way to represent OT, everyone!

CicLAvia

2013-04-23T16:58:19Z

It’s my first time participating in CicLAvia! On Sunday my friend and I biked from USC to Venice Beach. The city blocked off the roads, so I didn’t have to worry that a car was going to hit me. In total I rode 22 miles on a mountain bike. I couldn’t even run a mile. I couldn’t believe myself, and I was more impressed that my bike made it. We were among 150,000+ people who participated in this event. I remember growing up as a child, I was the first among my siblings to ride a bike (and hit the trash can because I didn’t learn how to apply my breaks), but I remember loving the feeling of the breeze hitting my face, especially at night. My friend graciously carried her pump and put airs on my tires, and it worked miracles on my bike. I’m so glad I did it. It’s something I never thought I could do since I haven’t biked in a very long time. It’s one thing off my bucket list. The next CicLAvia event is on June 23, 2013. I might be hitting the roads near you! Watch out!

Accessibility at Disneyland

2013-04-23T16:48:15Z

Last week my uncle and his family came to visit from Thailand. It was their first time in the United States. I had an eye-opening experience to begin to understand what it was like to live with a T4 spinal cord injury. I was playing tour guide for some of the days. At Disneyland the accommodations were spectacular. They have done a good job in making most of the rides accessible for people using wheelchairs. I had my handy dandy Guide for Guests with Disabilities. We went to Indiana Jones, It’s a Small World, the Jungle Cruise, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyager, Star Tours, Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, Innoventions, the Haunted Mansion, Mickey’s House. While some of the rides didn’t require my uncle to transfer, many of them required transfer either to a higher seat or to a lower seat. My uncle thought that at times he was just going to wait for us, but I insisted that his son and I could lift him. He was able to enjoy all of the same rides with us, and I thought that this is how everywhere should be. I didn’t see my uncle as a person who is disabled, but the environment made him that way. I thought about universal design and the importance of making all spaces accessible for everyone. I appreciate the fact the guide provided a description of where the accessible entrances are located. During lunch we saw a Jedi Training Academy workshop for kids, and I also got to learn more about what it’s like to live with a spinal cord injury for over 20 years. He knew I was studying to be an occupational therapist and even offered himself as a case study. After I took them to get jelly beans and dinner at Rainforest Café, I dropped my uncle and his family off at the hotel exactly at midnight. It was a Cinderella story after all.

Trojan family for life

2013-04-19T18:55:09Z

Recently I was taking an admitted student on a tour of the Health Sciences Campus, and she came prepared with a list of questions, one of which was, “I heard the culture at USC is eat or be eaten, is that true? What’s the student culture like?”

I’m not sure who told her this, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact the students at USC are one of the reasons why I love this program so much!

While in the program you will spend 3-4 days a week with the same group of people. You will go through the highs and lows of Graduate school together. You will create programs, projects, and presentations together. You will cry and laugh and celebrate with your peers. Never once have I felt competitive with my classmates.

In fact my MA-II class consistently blows me away with their support. It was my peers that nominated my community program for a community service award, not an instructor or dean. And it was my peers that came together one day to support another student undergoing chemotherapy.

Occupational therapists are generally happy, empathic people. We live our lives working with other people, collaborating and sharing intervention strategies and new research. We do not exist in a bubble. Not OTs and not USC students.

When I think of the students in my program, I do not think of competition, I think of family. I think of a safe place to go and learn, to try new things, to challenge yourself and have fun while doing it.

Do these cats on “arbitrary coordination day: hats” strike you as cut-throat? I hope not!

The saying is true: when you go to USC you’re a member of the Trojan family for life.

Feelin Competent

2013-04-18T16:26:04Z

Last night was our practicum in motor control class. A practicum, in this case, is an exam that tests your application of techniques learned in class (and practiced in lab). The techniques we were tested on were primarily mobilizations. You would typically be using mobilizations with someone who has experienced neurological trauma which has impacted their ability to control certain muscles. Mobilizations help align and stretch affected areas and provide feedback to the nervous system. To do a mobilization, you place your hands on respective landmarks throughout the skeletal system and apply force in varying directions. Apparently, our instructor has a great deal of faith in us because he had us do the mobilizations BLINDFOLDED! The anticipation of doing an exam blindfolded was pretty nerve-racking. However, once we got started, it was as if my body was on auto-pilot. I was surprised by how natural it felt. This was such a confidence-booster. At the end, the clinical instructor provided us with feedback. He had no comments for me! I was pretty ecstatic.

Wow Wow Wow

2013-04-11T20:21:59Z

Life has been moving at a million miles per hour since my last post! It seems that EVERYTHING happens in the Spring, and my life has been incredibly full of a variety of tasks and fun activities. I have been learning more about my path through the doctoral program and getting prepared for that transition. Another transition has occurred with the onboarding of the new student ambassadors who will be entertaining you with their blogs starting in a few short weeks! The new ambassadors have already been involved in several events. On April 1st, we celebrated the start of OT Month by hosting a rally with lunch, skits, and some awesome OT swag! Just last week, we hosted the incoming students at the Admitted Students’ Reception at the beautiful Town and Gown venue at USC.

The AOTA national conference for occupational therapists will take place in a couple of weeks. I am so proud to be presenting my research on animal assisted therapy at the conference as a poster presentation! I am also looking forward to Dr. Florence Clark’s farewell address and the special USC Alumni celebration taking place on Saturday night. I was also honored to be a part of our Division campaign video, which will be unveiled at the celebration.

Attending the Occupational Therapy Extravaganza last Saturday was a wonderful experience. It is planned each year by our honor society PTE, and they hosted a day of amazing speakers and creative showcases of our students’ work. In my role as Co-Chair of our student council OTSC, I have also been spending several hours per week planning our students’ end of the year celebration, for which we have chartered a private boat for a night cruise with a DJ, photo booth, and more fun! I am greatly looking forward to that celebration, and the even more amazing celebration a week after when I graduate from this program with a Master’s degree.

With all this excitement it is easy to forget that I still have lots of coursework and projects to complete, not least of all our comprehensive exam which covers material we have learned across the entire program! I can’t believe it will all be over in a few short weeks!

The present and future Student Ambassadors:

Education

2013-04-11T20:00:49Z

On Tuesday I was invited to speak at the Exploring Health Careers Panel at USC University Park Campus as part of Pre-Health Week. It was great to see so many students interested in the healthcare fields. Among those on the panel were students studying to be a physician’s assistant, optometrist, nurse, physical therapist, and of course, occupational therapist. My side of the table was the most festive since it is, after all, occupational therapy month! Yay! Free buttons for everyone. It was great to be back and mingle with eager undergrads again. After the event, I took a box of pizza home for my residents. While walking back, there is this guy who was sitting near the church, trying to get people to enjoy a free movie screening. A simple “hello” turned into a twenty-minute conversation about occupational therapy. I, of course, knew the drill and fed him pizza while pitching OT to him. He was so intrigued by my kindness and equated my act of generosity like what Jesus would do, which I politely declined. Nonetheless I educated him about OT. I feel so lucky to be at USC, meet cool people, and educate those around about OT. Fight on!

Comic Relief

2013-04-11T19:50:14Z

Last night I went to a comedy show on the other side of town, UCLA. I really don’t have anything against UCLA, except that they rejected me for undergrad, which made me found something better—OT at USC. UCLA unfortunately doesn’t have an OT school. Anyway, my friend invited me to see the comedy show, Kristina Wong: Going Green the Wong Way (http://kristinawong.com/). She has done numerous tours throughout the U.S. and Europe. She chronicled her efforts for a greener, more sustainable lifestyle since middle school until now. She recalled her experiences campaigning with CALPIRG, driving a twenty-five year old Mercedes that completely ran on vegetable oil, and learning wisdom on public transportation. I don’t want to reveal too much, but it’s great to see how the efforts of one woman to save the world could be inspirational yet hilarious. After the show, we were invited to have dinner with Kristina and the crew. While deciding on where to eat, the car that Kristina’s props were in did not start up. We tried to jump it with 2 cars, but to no avail. We spent half an hour flagging down cars to help us on the UCLA campus, but none could. I understand it could be a liability issue, but still. While calling for help to come, a crew member and I went to do an In-N-Out run for everyone. Afterwards, we went to Kristina’s house to enjoy ourselves this meal. From this unexpected adventure, I gained six new friends. I was able to talk to them about occupational therapy, and we all departed with happy stomachs. It was a night to remember.

Goodwill and OT

2013-04-10T20:07:06Z

These last few weeks I have had several transformative experiences, but more on those later. Last weekend was the OT Extravaganza, an event hosted each year by the Division of OS and OT and put together by members of PTE (the student honor society). This year’s theme was Leadership, and as part of the event students were allowed to enter their Leadership Externship experiences into a competition.

I am thrilled to say my partner Jane and I won for our work with Mujeres Fuertes along with two other amazing gals who went to Costa Rica.

This was such a HUGE honor and a source of immense pride for Jane and myself because we have also been awarded the Extraordinary Engagement Award by USC for our work with Mujeres Fuertes. It feels like here at the end of our education that things are falling into place, that our education has helped us to become not just advocates for OT, but for women, health, and the community. And that’s just one program!

My heart was near to bursting on Sunday, after so much good will from our school, when we returned to the group to lead a stress management session. Every. Single. Time that I work with the women, share with them, learn from them I feel transformed. I forgot in my desire to help others make positive change, that their lives can have a tremendous impact on my own. I feel that I have a new community of support bonded by the simple fact that we are women and we want to feel better about our lives.

Above we are “releasing” the stress we cannot control by tying it to a balloon and letting go. Such a simple exercise carried so much weight and meaning to all of us.

Occupational therapy is so powerful, not just for the client but for the therapist as well. I feel an enormous wealth of positivity surrounding me as I make my transition from school to the workforce.

Better late than never

2013-04-10T18:20:16Z

It has been WAY too long since I have made an entry (whoops!) The past month has been filled with so many activities, visitors, projects, discussions, and so much planning for the remainder of the semester! Although the externship is now a few weeks behind us, I know that it is constantly present in each of our minds. As I mentioned weeks ago, I had the amazing opportunity to work alongside an interdisciplinary palliative care team here in Los Angeles and to advocate the importance of an OT being a member of their team. My experience was so eye-opening and I think of the people I worked with through those two weeks still every day—I know that this will not change anytime soon. The team was extremely receptive and supportive of what I had to bring to the table and of my ideas and examples for the applicability of OT to serve this population. It was a very exciting, invigorating experience for me to be able to advocate for the profession in this way..
Needless to say, this is a challenging population to work with no matter how you look at things. Overall, it was great to see how the team supports one another and how they ultimately put the family and their concerns at the forefront of treatment. Although we would all wish this quality of treatment for a family member or friend, it is sadly not the reality for many people needing medical attention. One of the most powerful experiences I had during my externship occurred in debrief/conversation with my direct supervisor after we had visited a patient and the family. She told me: “you have to have somewhere to put all of this”. And it is as simple as that. We require balance just as our patients do. If we as practitioners don’t take the time to process and really work through what we are experiencing in the workplace, then how are we possibly expecting to provide our patients with the highest quality of care we can offer? It made me think back to a professor within the Division who told the class in one of our first lectures when we began the program. She told us all that “you need to have therapy before you can give therapy.” This gives a whole new way for us as OTs to evaluate our own capacity for MINDFULNESS. :]
This past Friday, the Division hosted the Admitted Student Reception in which we welcomed the newest addition to the USC OT family—SO FUN! It was great to be a part of this event as a Student Ambassador, as I very clearly remember the 2011 Reception where I finally decided to take the USC plunge :] The new class is amazing and so enthusiastic about OT.
Saturday was the annual Relay For Life at USC. This event is a 24-hour fundraiser for The American Cancer Society and has been close to my heart for many years. Our team this year, “OT4LIFE”, was a great representation of OT spirit. This event made me think back to the days at my externship site and the support and value that a community can provide to someone fighting through such a hard battle, such as those living with cancer. Many of the children I worked with had been told that they would not make it to their next birthday. At Relay, I was able to speak with several adults who had been told the same thing, either about their own health or that of their child. But they were still present at an event in order to give back and continue to be involved in the community which had offered them support in a difficult time. Talk about perseverance and having the will to FIGHT BACK. Read about one of the touching stories shared at Relay For Life here.

We’re just 10 days into April and OT month with so many awesome events and experiences already. Keep them coming, I’m loving it.